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Cats draftee vows to hit the ground running

Matt Murnane

JACKSON Thurlow has probably had more football advice thrown his way in the past week - and will do in the coming weeks - than he has received in the rest of his 18 years.

But of all the words he has heard since making the trip from Tasmania to Geelong as the Cats' first-round pick (No. 16) in last week's draft, it will be those from a fellow Tasmanian who has been in exactly the same situation that echo loudest during pre-season.

Thurlow has made sure to single out former Cat Cameron Thurley, who left his family and friends for Geelong as a teenager after the club risked its second-round pick (No. 22) on him in 2003.

It was a tale of caution from the now out-of-the-system Thurley who, despite the Cats' high hopes for him, managed just seven games in the blue-and-white hoops before playing another five games for North Melbourne in 2006 and then getting delisted.

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''He told me that he didn't put his front foot forward [at Geelong], he didn't do the head-down, bum-up sort of thing and he admitted he took it for granted, in a way,'' said Thurlow, who will take over David Wojcinski's No. 40 number.

''So I guess getting that advice from him made me realise that I really have to knuckle down and try to feed off the older guys for the information you can get and learn from them and give yourself the best opportunity.'' Part of launching onto the front foot is holding nothing back, especially when outlining his hopes for his first year.

''The goal is to play round one,'' the running defender said. ''I want to find my feet and a role that suits me. But there is a lot of little steps to take before getting to that main goal of playing AFL footy.''

Maybe more than any other club - discounting the expansion teams - Geelong has shown a strong willingness to gamble on first-year players, introducing 10 debutants last season, and particularly those who prove themselves in the NAB Cup.

At 190 centimetres, Thurlow has a lean but muscular physique and his skills and decision-making are what sealed the deal for the Cats.

But he was not drafted to make a splash next season; the Cats are thinking bigger picture, perhaps even for him to fill a half-back role that opens up when champion defender Corey Enright retires.

Thurlow - and the Cats' only other draftee so far, South Australian forward Brad Hartman - met coach Chris Scott after their first training session on Tuesday.

''He said he wants me to play a role through half-back and maybe run through the midfield as well,'' Thurlow said.

Both interstate youngsters are eager to start a big pre-season, although Thurlow will begin on a restricted program following recent surgery on a broken thumb.

He sustained the injury and facial fractures after being sling-tackled onto one of the cycling tracks on the boundary in a Tasmanian state league game.

He wore an arm guard on Tuesday that he hopes he will be able to shed by next week ahead of the club's pre-season camp at Falls Creek.

Hartman, a 188-centimetre medium-size forward, comes to the Cats from a basketball background.